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by martythemaniak
4431 days ago
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Funny, I've always enjoyed the mountain climbing analogy. You look at the peak from afar and you get excited. As you get closer to the base, you start to get a little scared. Half an hour after you start, your legs are already burning and you're thinking "wtf am I doing here, I could be having a pint on the patio I passed by earlier!" But you keep on eyes on the path and keep grinding, step by step, one foot in front of the other. Your mind goes blank and you get used to the discomfort. Occasionally you stop to rest and then you see "wow, I'm actually making progress, this is pretty neat. And the view! This is way better than some random patio.". You keep going and going for years. Few climbers make it. Mostly you give up and walk back down (ie fail). Sometimes, someone likes your climb and sends a mule to help you on the way back (acquihire) and sometimes they even send a helicoper (product acquisition). And if you make it (IPO), you find out it's a fractal game - you always keep climbing, otherwise someone will come from behind and push you over the cliff. :) |
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Yes, I want to push myself to make the world's best next-gen GUI for a payroll or real estate database. I may be able to go to as many VC pitch meetings, strategy meetings, client sales meetings to make my GUI the best and deliver maximum shareholder value and live to write a blog post about it (with max. karma duh).
But I can't live on the top of the self-ingratiating peak forever. The higher the peak, the lower the oxygen level, alas I wish I could live on top of that mountain blasting inspirational posts to all my Twitter followers for all time.
I have to come down eventually and go home, eat, take a shit and go to sleep. Even if I make it down safely evading the bears, I wonder can I go to sleep peacefully, or would I dare "not go gentle into that good night"?